October 2010

October 25, 2010

I receive many emails covering a broad range of topics almost every day. Many deserve no more than a few second glance or a quick chuckle. Every now and then, however, I'll come across something that stops me in my tracks. This happened recently. Someone had sent me a video clip to watch and I got caught up looking through the viewer comments. Something someone had written there was so stupid, so uninformed, and ultimately, so dangerous, that I have not been able to stop thinking about it.

What was the topic?

A "movement" to create a "more fair system" utilizing "proper resource management." At least, those are some of the words this person used to advertise, with excitement, I might add, the concept of Communism by a different name. What bothered me almost as much as this person's naive passion was the almost fearful way people responded to her. It is as if we are not allowed to be candid about things any more. When a snake crawls into our living room we are not allowed to yell "snake"and throw it back outside. Instead, we have to tip-toe around issues, giving everyone ridiculous respect for every idea because our world has become so saturated with "tolerance." As long as you are sincere about your idea it doesn't matter if it is utterly ridiculous, dangerous, and just plain stupid.

Finally, some of the commenters apparently got as sick of the nonsense as I did. One in particular had lived under a Communist regime himself for decades and brought some actual first-hand experience with a "more fair system" to the discussion, detailing the oppression of the many by the few that Communism always brings. In my Rascal book, I review many stories of people who risked their lives to escape from these types of "more fair" regimes rather than stay behind barbed wire fences to enjoy the benefits of "proper resource management." But idealists are not friends with facts, they prefer fantasies. The young lady continued to babble about her movement and how it was assured to make the world better.

I am not going to link to the specific article because it is only a representation of a larger issue and can be found in a thousand different places. The question I'd like to pose is this: Why is freedom so hard to appreciate? Why do people who live in a free environment hatch themes and schemes that will ruin their freedom and lead to suffering, oppression, and injustice? Why do they ignore the lessons of history which clearly show what every single one of these "more fair systems" of "better resource management" lead to?

Here is a second group of questions to consider: Why do people who cling to murderous philosophies think they are the most informed, enlightened, intelligent and compassionate? Why does blind ignorance pass for being visionary? Why is "oppressive" marketed as "progressive?"

Treat people with respect. Keep an open mind and consider their opinions and thoughts. But in the end, poison should not be allowed to sit in the food pantry as though it is as nourishing as the other items on the shelves. Label it for what it is: Dangerous. Think critically about everything you hear and read. Allow no philosophies to pass into normalcy without a fight in the arena of logic, reason, and the lessons of history. And through it all, remain a Rascal. Freedom has only ever been won, defended, and preserved by people too strong to be fooled by dogma, led by charlatans, and duped by movements.

October 18, 2010

"He is lucky," they say. "Had some good breaks," say others. "Yup, knew the right people." "Plus, he was at the right place at the right time." These are the excuses people make vocally about others who've succeeded. Worse, these are the thought processes people uncritically buy into when confronted with the high achievement of others. As they say, the worst excuse is the one you sell your self.

Why is it that we are so quick to explain away extraordinary accomplishments? Why is our knee-jerk reaction to downplay peak performance as a quirk or bestowment reserved for the precious few? Perhaps we've learned incorrectly how things work. Maybe we haven't been properly educated in the game of success. It's possible we haven't thought through our assumptions deeply enough. Most likely, however, these incorrect responses to high achievement are rooted in the fact that the performance of others makes our own pale in comparison. We reach for an explanation that takes the pressure off ourselves and find one readily at hand in the popular culture around us. Mediocrity is worshipped, decadence masquerades as creativity, and lazy is the new cool. People who strive for high achievement and excellence are freaks or sell-outs.

Truth, however, is a pesky thing. It doesn't seem to give way to fads, laziness, popular culture, excuses, anger, or false doctrines. It stands tall through it all. And the truth about high achievement and success is that it occurs on purpose, by design, through the tremendous commitment and persistence of individuals who have chosen the harder path. In other words: high achievement is earned.

This is bad news for someone searching for an excuse or wanting to explain away their own lack of success. On the contrary, however, it should be liberating for the person who has a big dream! The formula is available to anyone, and here it is:

Hard Work X Smart Work (Practice) X Time = High Achievement and Significance

Notice that this equation has almost nothing to say about talent, connections, or breaks. These things may lend a hand regarding starting points, but have virtually nothing to do with finishing at the peak.

The first component, hard work, is an unavoidable component in success. It simply cannot be avoided or bypassed. The hard truth is that if one wants significant results, significant effort will be required. Curiously, however, this one isn't so hard for people to stomach. Everyone seems to know hard work is a big part of success. What gets missed is that working hard is not the end in and of itself; it must be paired with smart work. This is effort expended toward intentional and painstaking improvement. It is not easy, rarely fun, and isn't productive until mixed with the final component of time. Time is the great amplifier. It takes inputs and multiplies them into something seemingly greater than the sum of the parts. Intentional, improvement-oriented actions compound over time. Conversely, bad choices also compound over time. What one does in the little moments show up in big outcomes over time.

These three components explain the greatest achievements of mankind. They are the tools of the mature, reserved for individuals committed to maximizing their gifts and making a difference in this world. They are best utilized by an adherence to the principles of excellence in thought and deed.

Are you dreaming of excellent outcomes in your life, career, business, marriage, home, church, or art? Then do the hard work of adhering to the principles of excellence in everything you do. Raise your standards. Make excellence the cornerstone of the life you are constructing. Put it at the center of your personal culture. And don't worry about the competition. If you truly focus upon excellence, there won't be much competition.

October 09, 2010

I was recently notified that this blog was selected as a Top Leadership Blog for Online Masters Degree Programs. Considering the quality and content of the other represented blogs, this is quite an honor. I would like to sincerely thank the folks at Online Masters Degree Programs for this award, and hope to continue producing content that proves useful for their readers.